Canadian Couple Renovates Costa Rican Hotel in New Reality Show

Canadian couple Luke Shantz and Steph Sitt have embarked on a daring adventure, relocating to Costa Rica without ever visiting the country to renovate an old building into a luxury boutique hotel. Their journey is the focus of a new reality show premiering Tuesday, January 7, 2025.

The six-episode series follows Luke, Steph, and their young daughters as they adjust to life in Costa Rica and transform the property into Hotel Amavi. The couple, who have no backup plan, are relying on their skills and financial support from friends and investors to complete the project before the peak tourist season.

Luke, a construction expert, and Steph, with a background in upscale hospitality, face significant challenges, including structural issues, delays, and budget overruns. “We’ve gambled everything on this hotel, and we’re all in. We don’t have anything to fall back on at this point,” Luke said.

The show’s opening episode reveals the couple touring the property and realizing the extent of the work needed. They hire a local contractor and a designer to help bring their vision of an elegant tropical sanctuary to life. However, they soon discover that many of the hotel’s guest rooms are irreparable, forcing them to rethink the layout and design.

Hotel Amavi will feature nine guest rooms, including a honeymoon suite and two casita suites, a lobby, a pool with an outdoor bar, and a giant exterior mural. The series also highlights the family’s efforts to balance the renovation with their new life in Costa Rica, including exploring the country’s biodiversity through activities like ATV riding.

“We need to open as soon as possible because, right now, we’re just in the red,” Steph said. The show premieres at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 7, and will be available for streaming on multiple platforms.